Elyana's POV

I felt I was in a haven after I fell asleep with my head on my mom’s lap. We slept on a huge bed in the VIP room of a five-star hotel where I checked in after I left my shameless husband’s house.

I woke up and Dad was nowhere to be found. Mom had just come out of the bathroom when I opened my eyes. Dad left, she said, and Mom told me she didn’t know where he would be heading so early.

Our breakfast came and even though I didn’t feel like eating, I ate a lot because a dragon was watching and ready to attack if I didn’t obey her. It would be good if Dad were there. He would let me eat a little, but with Mom—she’s like a monster when she’s mad, so I tried to avoid making her angry. She’s not my mortal enemy, not my best friend, either. She’s still my mother, so I love her and that’s just how Mom shows her care and love. Unlike my Dad who is showy and sweet all the time.

While we ate, Mom kept telling stories about my childhood and how picky I was when I was young. Until now, I was able to explore different cuisines when I got married to Lu— Forget it — we are in front of food and my mother’s legacy of not saying bad words in front of grace. I knew Mom was just babbling to make noise. To help me not to think about anything that will only hurt my feelings.

It was before lunchtime when Dad arrived. It looked like something bad happened based on the wound in his fist.

“What happened to your hand, dad?” I asked when I noticed that and Mom rushed to check it and immediately asked for some ice to take it to our room.

He didn’t want to say how and where he got it, but because I was convinced that nothing had happened, I didn’t stop asking him.

“This is nothing, sweetheart. I promise,” he answered with a smile on his face while we waited for the ice to be put on his swelling hand.

He sat on the sofa and Mom went to the bathroom to get a towel. Dad seemed frustrated. My parents are both old, but they are not like their peers who have neglected their bodies. They work out together to maintain their bodies, even though they are about to reach sixty even though their ages are not that obvious.

“D-Dad, tell me what happened?” I asked him again.

“I just punched a wall, not someone else’s face,” he said later on when he was already annoyed with me.

I still have doubts about his answer, but I don’t know—I was a little disappointed that my father only punched a wall and not the face of someone I know.

The ice in the bucket had arrived, so Dad soaked his fist in it to numb the tingling pain. It had turned purple and had a small wound. Mom took Dad to the clinic just in the hotel’s vicinity.

I was left alone in the room for a few hours. I felt I would go insane with the silence. I lay down and stared at the ceiling. Questioning my worth and what I did wrong to deserve to be cheated. I felt worthless, useless, and ugly. All the hurtful words—I just called myself. I’m not ugly, to be honest, but my husband still cheated on me.

Thinking about him again and the scene I saw—my tears started falling like heavy rain. Being ugly or not sexy is not a valid reason for someone’s partner to cheat and I don’t remember any serious problems we had for him to do that.

I cried. I took advantage of the time my parents weren’t around. I hid in the bathroom and soaked in the warm water in the tub. I stayed there for more than half an hour and I didn’t realize that it was night when I went out and my parents hadn’t returned yet. I got dressed and when I was done, I suddenly thought of turning on my cellular phone that I had turned off since yesterday. I received a few messages from Lucas, but I didn’t bother to read anything. I also received a message from Mom telling me to meet them at a nearby restaurant for dinner and that they would wait for me there.

I didn’t want to go out, but I felt like I was going to lose my head being alone inside a room so quiet. I went to the restaurant where they told me to go. I didn’t even bother to put anything on my face to hide my pale skin or put on any fancy jewelry. I wore a simple plain black dress paired with flat sandals and that was it.

Since the restaurant was not that far, I walked. It only took me more or less ten minutes. When I entered the restaurant, I immediately saw the table where my parents were and, to my surprise, there were other people with them. Not just one, three, and even though they were far from the entrance, I knew one of those three, even though I couldn’t see his face.

The first thing I thought of—was to walk away. I moved my feet and immediately turned around, but before I could—I heard my dad’s voice calling my name.

I don’t want to look back. I knew that when I turned around, I would see the eyes of those three people at the same table staring at me. I ran away to escape, but Dad caught me.

If the car that was about to pass in front of me hadn’t honked at me, I would have gone running straight. My father caught me and I didn’t have a choice but to face him. He hugged me and I cried a lot again.

“D-Dad—” I said while my face was on his chest.

“I’m just heart, sweetheart,” he whispered, and his voice got broken. He let me cry. He stroked my hair using one hand, and the other hugged me.

“It would be better if you would face him. There’s nothing you need to feel afraid or ashamed of, Elyana. Your Mom and I won’t let him just get away with this. Your lawyer called us today and sent us the divorce papers for you and Lucas to sign. After that, you’re free from him. I know that’s what you like too and I agree with that decision of yours,” Dad said while still hugging me.

My courage seemed to run out when I surprised them the other day, but Dad was right, I have nothing to fear and be ashamed of. I didn’t do anything shameful. I’m not the one who cheated and I’m not the one with another lover.

Dad convinced me to go with him. Lucas couldn’t look directly at me. I saw bruises on the corner of his eye and even his lip seemed to have cracked.

I gave Dad a meaningful look when I saw the look on Lucas’s face. I felt no pity. I even thought of splashing him with cold water at that moment.

Dad pulled me to a chair. I was face-to-face with Lucas. Mom handed the piece of paper that Lucas and I needed to sign, and I was the first to sign it. When it was his turn, I noticed his hands were shaking. I don’t know if it was because he was afraid of Dad. His parents were there in front of us and, like him, they couldn’t look at me.

Some photos are scattered on the table. Copies of what I sent to my lawyer yesterday were all there. Lucas’s mommy cried a little while sitting next to her son and I couldn’t bear to see her like that because she had been good to me for five years. Lucas’s father was the only one I didn’t like that much because he was a very strict and perfectionist person. His father was giving me a different vibe at that moment. He still seemed so proud. That made me ask if he was proud that his son cheated on me.

Well, he was also a cheater. His wife knew. He was forgiven a few times and still repeated it.

I’m not stupid to just let Lucas’s act of cheating slide. As they say, a cheater will always be a cheater, so let’s not give him another chance.

“Can we talk about this first? Just the two of us, Elyana.” I was surprised when Lucas put down the ballpen he was holding and asked this.

His parents raised their heads and turned to their son. I saw different emotions on their faces. His mother is hopeful, while his father seems to stop Lucas from what he is asking.

I turned to my parents to check their reactions. They seemed confused and mad at Lucas, but with the look in their eyes, it seemed they wanted me to be in charge of the situation, and that they would respect whatever decision I would make.

I looked back at Lucas and took a deep breath. There was no one else in that restaurant but us. There were only six of us. It seems they were afraid of being embarrassed around other people. I think they were afraid I would create a scene as if I was going to do it. Dad had already taught him a lesson.

“I only have a few questions, Lucas. Answer it and we will decide based on your answer,” I uttered, even though I was very nervous about the answer I could get from him.

“I will,” he retorted and looked straight into my eyes.

“O-Okay—so, for how long have you been cheating on me?” For my first question.

I had a clue how long it had been. It’s been almost 6 months since I noticed a change in him, but I was stunned by his confession. It was longer than I knew.

I held on to the table because I felt I would lose my balance. My Dad stepped right next to me when he noticed it to give me support.

“I’m okay, Dad,” I whispered, even though it was obvious I wasn’t, and for the final question, I wanted to know, “What is the reason, Lucas?”

I know he got what exactly I meant by that question. I don’t need to elaborate any further. I just needed his answer on that one, so I knew where I was lacking.

“Because you couldn’t give me a child—”

He didn’t finish his answer, because mom’s hand landed on his cheek. She slapped him real hard. Mom was about to hit him again, but Lucas’s father blocked his arm and his arm was the one mom reached instead of Lucas’s face.

“Sign this paper! You don’t deserve my daughter!” my mother yelled angrily at him.

My world seemed to stop. I could hear my mom and Lucas’s father arguing, but I just stood there watching them. I could hear them loud and clear. I wanted to stop them, but I couldn’t move my feet. It was like I was just watching a movie drama. The only difference was, it was life and the star of the show was us.

I just wanted him to sign the divorce papers. I wanted to leave him for good and never see him again.

While they were still fighting, my vision suddenly went blurry, and the next thing I knew—everything turned dark.